In Islamabad, discussions unfolded between Haji Nooruddin Azizi, the actingcommerce minister of the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan, andPakistan’s caretaker Foreign Minister, Jalil Abbas Jilani.
The Afghan embassy’s statement outlined the focus on bilateral trade, thestatus of stranded goods in Karachi port owned by Afghan traders, and thesmooth transfer of Afghan refugees’ assets back to Afghanistan.
This meeting took place shortly after Pakistan expelled numerousundocumented Afghans, attributing the decision to the Taliban’s reluctancein addressing militants using Afghanistan as a base for attacks inPakistan. The Taliban officials argued that internal security matters fallunder Pakistan’s purview, urging a halt to the deportation of Afghancitizens.
Amid challenges faced by Afghan citizens returning home, such asdifficulties in transferring cash and property from Pakistan, where manyhad established businesses and homes over decades, the Pakistani ForeignOffice conveyed Jilani’s message.
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The emphasis was on the potential for regional trade and connectivitythrough collective action against terrorism.
Highlighting the issue, Haji Nooruddin Azizi urged Pakistan to releasethousands of containers carrying imports stuck at Karachi Port. Pakistaniauthorities expressed concerns about substantial losses in tax revenue dueto duty-free goods sent from its ports to landlocked Afghanistan, only tobe smuggled back across the border.